It's pretty close to a must-win, as they've won just three of their first 10 games

Pretty close, when you’ve won only three of your first 10 games in October and only the Arizona Coyotes have won fewer.

“People are grumpy when things aren’t going right,” Oilers winger Milan Lucic said as the team gets ready to play the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday night.

“When you have a tough start, coaches get on you, fans get on you, media, teammates start getting on each other’s nerves, and the pressure’s on to get this going in the other direction.”

So a win over the Penguins is hugely important right now, in Game 3 of a five-game home stand. The Penguins are struggling, too, but they’re struggling with a 7-5-1 record. So it’s all relative when the bar’s set higher as the Stanley Cup champions.

The Penguins have points against the Oilers in 14 straight games (11-0-3), if you’re keeping track. The last five Penguins-Oilers’ games have been decided by a single goal. Three of the last four have gone to overtime, with Phil Kessel, who won’t be playing with his usual centre Evgeni Malkin on Wednesday, ending it in Pittsburgh

The Oilers had an optional skate Wednesday morning, so there wasn’t a lot of information coming out on lineups, but for the Penguins, it appears Matt Murray will get the start in net for the Penguins while maybe ex-Edmonton Oil Kings starter Tristan Jarry goes Thursday in Calgary. No need to ask who’s in goal for the Oilers: Cam Talbot, who’s started all but one game this season.

Talbot is one win from 100 for his career, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins one goal from 100, and Zack Kassian one point from 100, so there are a few milestones in sight for the Oilers, but a victory would be a lot more satisfying right now.

“It’s a great test tonight with a really good opponent,” said Lucic, after Murray and Talbot waged a dandy goalie battle in Edmonton’s 2-1 OT loss in Pittsurgh last week.

Edmonton Oilers centre Ryan Nugent-Hopkins , left, celebrates with teammate Milan Lucic after scoring on the Dallas Stars during second period NHL action on October 26, 2017, in Edmonton.

One thing to look for: the Penguins have scored a power-play goal in all eight road games this season, and the Oilers have the second-worst penalty-kill in the league.

Oilers head coach Todd McLellan enthusiastically liked the last meeting in Pittsburgh because his club easily could have won.

“Our group was well aware last game that they’re a very quick, hard forechecking team that can create a lot of turnovers, and their offensively tenacity is as good as anybody in the league,” he said. “We accepted all of that, and it took 60 minutes of believing that to get a point. So we have to be better in some areas, but the game plan won’t change at all.”

Tonight’s lineups

Notes

The Penguins are without two of their top six D, Matt Hunwick and Justin Schultz, both experiencing concussion-like symptoms. Hunwick skated here Wednesday but won’t play. Schultz was hit by Drake Caggiula last week in Pittsburgh.

Iiro Pakarinen may play fourth line left-wing and not Jussi Jokinen.

Expect the Penguins to put Josh Archibald on the fourth line in place of Carl Hagelin, and Frank Corrado in the third defence pairing in place of Zach Trotman.

5 Oilers’ keys to the game

Pittsburgh has given up the most first-period goals in the league (21) in their 13 games, and 18 of them have come on the road.

On the season, they’ve been battered, surrendering 50 goals. Only bottom-feeder Arizona (51) has given up more.

They’ve given up 600 5-on-5 shots, worst in the league. Since the Oilers shoot from everywhere even-strength, this could work to their advantage.

Dallas Stars players celebrate a power-play goal as Edmonton Oilers goalie Cam Talbot (33) looks on during second period NHL action in Edmonton, Alta., on Thursday October 26, 2017.

2. Try winning at home

The Oilers have lost four of their six games in front of paying customers at Rogers Place, who shell out big, big bucks to watch Connor McDavid and Co.

They had a very favourable early season stretch with nine of their first 13 games at home, but they’re blowing it big-time.

Their best game of the season came Oct. 4, a month ago, in their own barn, but since then, they’ve been outscored 25-13 by the Winnipeg Jets, the Ottawa Senators, the Carolina Hurricanes, the Dallas Stars and the Washington Capitals.

That’s crushing stuff, folks. And three of their top six guys — Milan Lucic, Ryan Strome and Leon Draisaitl — have just one goal each in the first 10 games. Defenceman Adam Larsson (2) has more goals than they do.

Edmonton Oilers defenceman Oscar Klefbom.

4. Shaking up power play

Todd McLellan likes to load up his first unit, but the Oilers head coach is spreading it around now because they’re far too static and predictable with McDavid, Draisaitl, Lucic, Mark Letestu and Oscar Klefbom.

They’re a dreadful 9.5 per cent on the power play at home, so something has to give.

Now, the captain McDavid and Draisaitl will run separate units, and Maroon goes up with McDavid and Lucic with Draisaitl as net-front presence.

Oilers players need to walk the walk, not just talk the talk. No more talk about having 72 games left, lots of time to turn it around. That’s hollow.

At 3-6-1, they need to win the next three to get to .500 when they head out on their trip to play the New Jersey Devils, the New York Islanders, the New York Rangers and the Capitals next week.

After this five-game home stand, nine of the next 11 are on the road. They could be out of it by U.S. Thanksgiving if they don’t start playing like they did in the playoffs.

Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby, right, tries to slow down the Edmonton Oilers’ Connor McDavid during NHL action in Pittsburgh on Oct. 24, 2017. The Penguins won 2-1 in overtime.

The Big Matchup

The last time the teams met in Pittsburgh, it turned into Matt Murray vs. Cam Talbot in a terrific battle of goalies, but let’s go back to the obvious, shall we? Connor McDavid vs. Sidney Crosby in the fourth meeting between the game’s two best players.

McDavid has five points and Crosby has yet to get on the score sheet with a goal or an assist when they meet, but the Penguins have won all three meetings. That’s all Crosby cares about.

McDavid would rather have a W than a G most likely at this stage of the Oilers’ season, too.

This Week's Flyers

Comments

We encourage all readers to share their views on our articles and blog posts. We are committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion, so we ask you to avoid personal attacks, and please keep your comments relevant and respectful. If you encounter a comment that is abusive, click the "X" in the upper right corner of the comment box to report spam or abuse. We are using Facebook commenting. Visit our FAQ page for more information.